Departure
by kari lost child
Summary: Well, the Hatter's dead, so what became of Dormy and Hare? Let's just say, I used my imagination. It's short, but good.


**AN:** Once again, hello. OK, after the battle with Hatter, Dormy and Hare's fate went untold, so I'm telling you my idea. No, it's not a happy ending, either. Sorry. But the story is told in my (as if I were Alice) point of view. I get my best writings that way.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own none of the characters, it'd be nice to own Cheshire though. :D

**"Departure"**

_Tick._

_Tock.._

_Tick..._

_Tock..._

The last chime sounded and I breathed in cold air, hard. The battle had been a rough one indeed. I glanced around the silent arena, shivering. I replacing the freezing Ice Wand for the Jacks, then rubbed my hands together to warm them. The Ice Wand was a powerful weapon, but indeed icy to the touch.

The Hatter lay motionless on the ground, his gears all broken. I found it hard to believe that a seemingly sweet, yet sad man could _ever _transform into this crazed monster laying at my boots. I watched the fiery sparks fly from his headless neck for a moment. "I'm sorry it had to be this way. You would've made a powerful ally if you had just waited for me a little longer--"

"Time doesn't wait for any.."

Startled, I turned around until I spotted the Cheshire cat sitting upon a ledge high above the arena beside a glowing heart of Meta Essence. Below him, machine parts moved up and down like an open lift in the golden light.

"...And Time doesn't like to be wasted, Alice.." With that, he faded into the dark.

I sighed and walked toward the lift, waited as a machine part lowered, then I leapt on it and rode it to the top. Once there, I was greeted by yet a new toy.. and Cheshire cat.

"This unique watch stops Time, for a time. But unlike death, Time moves on. Those who stood still with Time move on also.. unless they're dead.." His grin widened and he vanished as the doors to my right swung open to another green portal.

1

"I wonder.. What became of Hare and Dormy?"

Cheshire cat shrugged his bony shoulders. "Who knows?"

I glanced around, fortunate to have been transported back to the abandoned asylum hall. "Let's find out then, shall we?" I walked through the halls, Cheshire following close behind. I found the opened gate and ran down the silver, card-like stairs. I stopped at the bottom and looked around for movement from enemies. Nothing. The place was totally abandoned. Everything just seemed to die with Hatter.

I ran down the hall and to the right, stopping just before the doors. "Cat?" I whispered. "Perhaps they're dead as well.."

"Perhaps they are.." He purred, almost making it sound as if he were mocking me. "All you can do is look."

"I can't take another death scene." I looked down at my boots.

"You damn well better get used to it. We've still got a long way to go, Alice.." He moved his tail back and forth, impatiently.

I smirked. "You move that tail of yours any faster and it'll break."

His eyes blinked, slowly as if he were amused by my comment, then we both entered through the doors. I heard soft breathing and crying. Stopping to take in my surroundings, I found that there was an insane child trapped within the claws of the machine that was encased in glass. It was screaming, crying, and kicking the air, the first one I'd seen so far that threw a decent tantrum. The claws were crushing him around the arms and waist as they held him in midair.

The breathing was coming from Dormy, who was still strapped to the table at the far end, but the electric shocks that the machines were giving him had stopped. I shook my head as I went to the table. "Dormy? Are you--"

"A-Alice?" His little voice squeaked out. "I want.. to go home.." His black eyes watered.

"I can't set you free, Dormy." I placed one of my pale hands on his pink claw, feeling sorry for the poor creature. "And even if I could, Wonderland has become so horrific that there would be no place safe for you.. Perhaps the Miner's Village, but that's too far away and I can't turn back now."

"The key.."

"What?" I leaned in closer to hear.

"Key!" Dormy squeaked and tugged against his bonds. "It's inside me. It unlocks... a cage. A great creature that Hatter captured is to... help you.."

"How do you know this?"

"Hatter says so. Open me... It's in the... machine.."

I walked around to the otherside of him, avoiding any slaps from his moving tail. I lifted myself upon his table and sat on my knees. I leaned over him and noticed that the machine parts were held together by large screws. I pulled out the Vorpal Blade and began to unscrew them one by one. It took some time, but I finally was able to remove pieces of metal parts from Dormy's body, sometimes ripping flesh and causing him to cry out in the process.

While moving a small gear, I noticed something gold and shinny in the opening below the gear's placement. I reached in and pulled the small object out, glad to find that it was the key. I smiled as I slipped the key into my dress pocket until I'd need it again. Upon looking to the side to get down from the table, I noticed that Hare was nowhere in the room. I stopped. "Dormy? Where's Hare?"

He sniffled. "Hare.. was... under the water when... the machines... stopped.. working.."

My eyes watered as I walked over to the opening in the floor. The dark water was deathly still. "Hare.. I'm sorry.."

"He's gone.. and I'm all alone.. now.." Dormy's voice had a hint of fear to it as if he truly understood that he was the only one left.

I folded my arms and walked back over toward the mouse. "I suppose you'll have to die, too. You would die eventually, being left here all alone, that is.." I tried not to make those words sound so cruel, but they did anyway.

"I don't want to die."

"I know.. But it's your only option now. Wonderland's not safe anymore.." I cast my eyes down to where the Cat sat, smiling. "A little cold should help.."

I thought on the meaning of that for a moment, then summoned the Ice Wand once it occurred to me what Cheshire was saying. "Dormy? This will get unbearably cold for a few moments, then you'll feel nothing."

The mouse struggled against the straps, obviously frightened, but he nodded. "A-Alice.. Save us.."

"I'm not so sure I can, but I'll try.." I pointed the Ice Wand toward him. "Now, close your eyes." Dormy did as I commanded and I let the Ice Wand perform without even asking if he was ready. I watched the icy mist flow over him. His paws and tail almost instantly turned from a soft pink to a deep purple and blue color as they stilled. I let the ice mist flow over the length of his body a few more seconds before stopping it. The fur had an icy build up on it as well as his skin.

His eyes were wide and his mouth was opened slightly, but he didn't move. I wasn't sure if he was completely dead. I was pulled out of my thoughts, however, by another scream from the insane child at the far end.

Cheshire cat glared in irritation at the thing. "Care if I put that creature out of his misery?"

"I don't.. He's very well stuck there..." I glanced through the glass at the struggling child, who now had began hitting itself in the face.

Cheshire gave a sound that was crossed between a chuckle and a snarl as he disappeared. He reappeared on the arm of the machine and walked toward the claw that was around the child's waist. I watched him move his mouth toward the child's throat and I turned away to walk toward the door.

The child began to scream and it slowly became nothing more than a gurgling sound. I resisted the urge to cover my ears before the room fell silent again. Then, I exited the room as Cheshire cat appeared beside me, licking at his lips.

"Well, that was interesting.. Their blood certainly tastes different from that of a rodent.." He licked a paw and wiped it across his upper nose to cleanse himself of the blood.

"What now?"

Cheshire chuckled. "I hope you like to fly.."

2

Cheshire and I managed to find the room in which the Gryphon was being held. I walked up the red-designed stairs, taking the key from my dress pocket. "That's odd, I don't remember seeing a lock--"

I stopped in my sentence as the key escaped from my hand and floated away in mid air. I reached up, frantically, to grab it.

"Let it go.." Gryphon ordered, kindly.

"Pardon?" I glanced at him through the glass and rusted bars.

"Just let it go and watch.."

I watched as the key floated to the top of the front of the cage and a small lock appeared within the rusty metal just above Gryphon. The key inserted itself inside the lock and turned. I heard a 'click', and the cage's sides immediately separated from around the Gryphon with the help of large chains. He spread his huge, red wings and flew out. I backed away so he could have some landing room as he came to land before me on the encased clock that was built into the floor.

"With gratitude, I offer you my services." He said, proudly, placing one eagle claw to his feathery chest, then returning it to the glass.

I glanced down, folding my arms, unsure if Gryphon would be able to handle the hard task before us. "Promise only what you're prepared to deliver. I am destined to battle the Red Queen, the outcome is uncertain.."

"You won't fight alone." Gryphon assured. "Permit me to serve as your commander. I'll muster the forces whose allegiance your courage and skill have already won."

That sounded good enough to ask. "How shall we prepare for battle?"

"An assault on the Queen depends on breaching the gates to her kingdom. Only the Jabberwock's Eye Staff can pry them open. If you open the gates, I'll lead the troops to victory. Let us right the wrongs of this world, together."

I approached him as he knelt down just a bit so that I may climb on his feathery neck. Once I was seated and comfortable, I gripped the fur tight as Gryphon took to the air. He opened his yellow beak and a blue mist sprayed from it. It very much reminded me of my Ice Wand's attack. The mist flowed up through a glass protected opening in the ceiling, shattering it. I watched the shards fall as Gryphon soared up through the broken window.

As we flew, the sky began changing from that sickening, green gray color to fiery red and orange, but I was too focused on the feeling in my stomache to pay attention to the sky. Now, I would face the Queen of Hearts. I didn't like that thought, but _someone _had to...


End file.
